Biography

André Gonzales started studying drums and symphonic percussion in the year of 1982, at the famous Brazilian art school Fundação das Artes de São Caetano do Sul, with teachers José Eduardo Lennert, Alfredo Lima and Carmo Bartoloni. At 14 he was already teaching and performing professionally, and started writing, singing and playing other instruments, like electric bass, acoustic and electric guitars, flute, and piano. Later he attended classes at the “Centro Livre de Aprendizagem Musical”, school created by the traditional Brazilian jazz and bossa-nova group, Zimbo Trio. Afterwards he studied with the renowned drummer, Duda Neves.

In over 30 years of music, Gonzales recorded numberless albums, soundtracks and advertising scores, and played with many stars and artists like Jane Duboc, Egberto Gismonti, Gilberto Gil, O Terço, Celso Pixinga, Ricky Furlani, Funkacid, Fernando Forni, Gwen Leathers (USA), Gabrielle Goodman (USA) and Nicky French (England), among many others.

He is a regular columnist of the Brazilian edition of Modern Drummer magazine, writing educational, technical and philosophical articles.
Gonzales is a teacher since 1989, and the author of “BEAT – Complete Method For The Drumset” – a collection of 10 books, with almost 750 pages - for children, beginners, intermediary and advanced drummers, and also teaching coaching.

Besides teaching in his private studio, Gonzales plays with his own power-trio SuperOverDrive, Brazilian record-selling artist Dave Maclean, virtuoso guitarist Ricky Furlani, and the groove-oriented instrumental band, Grooves & Afins. He also continues his work as a sideman and freelancer.